Page 38 of Her Hero Daddy

She sniffled, using her fists to rub her wet, sleepy eyes. “I h-had a b-bad dr-dream, and I ju-just…”

Kane reached out and pulled her into his chest before he could stop himself.

“Shhh, it’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here.”

He ran his fingers up and down her back gently until her crying quieted, only the sound of sniffling filling the garage. Without thinking, he reached down and lifted her up, carrying her into the house and up the stairs.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?” she asked, her voice getting higher as she spoke.

“You’re moving into the room next to mine. I don’t want you out here away from me. I would have heard you having a nightmare if you were in the house, and I could have come and comforted you.”

“But…”

“No buts. I’m making this decision. I’m in charge, not you.”

Okay, he knew he was being kind of an overbearing ass. But he also knew that she wanted to stay in the apartment because she didn’t want to be a bother to him. So, he would take the decision away from her.

“Oh,” she whispered.

Oh? Oh! That’s all she had to say? A thrill ran through him. Did she like him taking charge like that even though he was being completely unreasonable?

Toward the end of the hall, he kicked open the guest bedroom door. The closed nursery was across from the guest room, with his bedroom being at the end of the hall between them. He’d be able to hear her if she had any more nightmares. He sat her on the bed, and she immediately drew her legs up, wrapping her arms around them until she was in a tiny ball. He knelt in front of her so he was at eye level with her head.

“Look at me, Haylee.”

She shook her head.

“Baby alligator, look at me right now.”

Her head moved up from her knees slowly until her gaze met his, and the pain he saw in her eyes made his bones ache.

“I ruined your bed. I’m so sorry,” she whispered in the tiniest voice.

He didn’t give a crap about the bed. He cared about the scared Little girl in front of him. Her tiny body trembled, and he couldn’t help but reach out for her, only to pull his hand away when he saw her flinch.

“Baby girl, I don’t care about the bed. I’ll buy a new bed. It’s just a material thing. What I do care about is you and making sure you’re all right.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be all right.”

“Do you want to talk about your nightmare?”

She shook her head.

“Can I touch you, Haylee? I promise I won’t hurt you.”

She eyed him for a brief moment before nodding. He sat on the bed next to her, pulling her onto his lap. Her body sagged into his as he wrapped his arms around her.

“You will be all right, baby. I will make sure of it.”

He rocked her against him, rubbing her back until he noticed her breathing start to slow. Standing with her in his arms, he carefully turned down the covers and placed her in bed, tucking the blankets all around her body. Her eyes fluttered open to look up at him as he was leaning over her.

“Kane?” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“I think you’d make a really good Daddy.”

He smiled down at her and brushed a wayward hair from her face.